# Main characters in books that smoke a pipe?



## Thisisme (Jan 13, 2009)

I thought it would be interesting to get a list together of main characters in books that smoke a pipe. Of course, Sherlock Holmes is obvious, but I am more interested in less famous ones.

For example, Ralph McInerny's character Father Roger Dowling in his series of "Father Dowling Mysteries". The author makes frequent reference to the pipe.


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

Quintus "Fiver" Ells - Old Glory and the Real-Time Freaks


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## ghe-cl (Apr 9, 2005)

Philip Marlowe was a pipe smoker (as was his creator, Raymond Chandler).


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## bazookajoe (Nov 2, 2006)

Inspector Maigret of the Maigret mysteries by Georges Simenon

The Official Maigret Site - Inspector Maigret - Maigret the Man


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## drastic_quench (Sep 12, 2008)

In a new book that just came out in 08, Leif Enger's _So Brave, Young, and Handsome_, one of the main characters, Glendon Hale, is often mentioned to be lighting up his little briar.


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## nuke999 (Nov 10, 2006)

The characters of The Lord of the Rings. Gandalf, Aragorn, and all of the hobbits.


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## JacksonCognac (Nov 12, 2007)

I'm reading "Zorba The Greek" - I'm not very far along and there has already been several pipe references and even a cool quote about pipes that I should probably throw in my signature.


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## morefifemusicanyone (Aug 23, 2008)

drastic_quench said:


> In a new book that just came out in 08, Leif Enger's _So Brave, Young, and Handsome_, one of the main characters, Glendon Hale, is often mentioned to be lighting up his little briar.


I grew up near Lief, though I have never read his stuff. We were friends with his kids.

How is the book? I hear they are making a movie of Peace Like a River.

On topic --->>> I am reading through the Wheel of Time Series. All of the male characters in that book smoke a pipe at one time or another. Thumbing in the tobac is somewhat the expression Robert Jordan usually uses.


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## Requiem (Dec 6, 2008)

If it is of interest, in comic books/graphic novels, particullary in the mid 20th century ones, there are a lot of pipe smokers, like Captain Haddock (from Tintin) depicted in my avatar, Popeye, almost all the characters in Blake and Mortimer (including those two), Max Friedman (from italian artist V. Giardino).
In the future I´ll probably run an exhaustive list of pipe smokers in comics.


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

Some of the characters in the fantasy series _Thieves' World_ smoked pipes but they also did herf and other drugs so there's no telling what was in their pipes.


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## paperairplane (Nov 8, 2007)

morefifemusicanyone said:


> .....
> On topic --->>> I am reading through the Wheel of Time Series. All of the male characters in that book smoke a pipe at one time or another. Thumbing in the tobac is somewhat the expression Robert Jordan usually uses.


Stop now... save yourself... no good comes from that end. I promised that I would stop referring to him as THJ (The Hated Jordan) now that he is deceased. I will also not give my usual WOT related rants, again in respect to the deceased.

However, I will state that I think he died on purpose. He knew that after book 7 there was no way he would ever be able to tie up all the loose ends and have a satisfactory conclusion. Sure, he could have been like King and the Dark Tower and just gone "Ta-DA!!!" here's an ending. But to get a true, well done conclusion to that series would take a minimum of 5 more books - and I mean WOT, 750+ page books. So rather than face all of us readers, who spent years and years following his story - he bailed.

Sure, he dictated his outline to some friends, sure they could has something together.... ever read the Dune books not written by Frank... the old talent level drops off a fair bit.


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

paperairplane said:


> Stop now... save yourself... no good comes from that end. I promised that I would stop referring to him as THJ (The Hated Jordan) now that he is deceased. I will also not give my usual WOT related rants, again in respect to the deceased.
> 
> However, I will state that I think he died on purpose. He knew that after book 7 there was no way he would ever be able to tie up all the loose ends and have a satisfactory conclusion. Sure, he could have been like King and the Dark Tower and just gone "Ta-DA!!!" here's an ending. But to get a true, well done conclusion to that series would take a minimum of 5 more books - and I mean WOT, 750+ page books. So rather than face all of us readers, who spent years and years following his story - he bailed.
> 
> Sure, he dictated his outline to some friends, sure they could has something together.... ever read the Dune books not written by Frank... the old talent level drops off a fair bit.


I have to agree. I called it quits when Ren(?) became the Dragon Reborn but then again RJ had an uphill climb to reclaim his dignity IMO after the liberties he took with Conan. Then again long series of fat books and I aren't long in parting company. With Terry Brooks I didn't go past the Elfstones nor The Black Unicorn, Saberhagen I only made it to the Third Book and Glen Cook I stopped at the 3rd Book of the South, which BTW kudos for pipesters and pipe smoking in Anals of the Black Company.


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## morefifemusicanyone (Aug 23, 2008)

paperairplane said:


> Stop now... save yourself... no good comes from that end. I promised that I would stop referring to him as THJ (The Hated Jordan) now that he is deceased. I will also not give my usual WOT related rants, again in respect to the deceased.
> 
> However, I will state that I think he died on purpose. He knew that after book 7 there was no way he would ever be able to tie up all the loose ends and have a satisfactory conclusion. Sure, he could have been like King and the Dark Tower and just gone "Ta-DA!!!" here's an ending. But to get a true, well done conclusion to that series would take a minimum of 5 more books - and I mean WOT, 750+ page books. So rather than face all of us readers, who spent years and years following his story - he bailed.
> 
> Sure, he dictated his outline to some friends, sure they could has something together.... ever read the Dune books not written by Frank... the old talent level drops off a fair bit.





Mad Hatter said:


> I have to agree. I called it quits when Ren(?) became the Dragon Reborn but then again RJ had an uphill climb to reclaim his dignity IMO after the liberties he took with Conan. Then again long series of fat books and I aren't long in parting company. With Terry Brooks I didn't go past the Elfstones nor The Black Unicorn, Saberhagen I only made it to the Third Book and Glen Cook I stopped at the 3rd Book of the South, which BTW kudos for pipesters and pipe smoking in Anals of the Black Company.


*Begin Rant*

:sb

I agree with both of you two. I am on book six or seven (can't remember atm because I am listening to them on CD as I commute) and I am noticing how things are unraveling.

Jordan's blatant rip from every fantasy book written in the last century is clearly inexcusable.

I particularly take issue with much of his "borrowing" from J.R.R. Tolkien (Lord of The Rings, Hobbit, Silmarillion, Etc.) and Frank Herbert (Dune Series, sans bastardizations from his son and Kevin Anderson). I am a VERY AVID fan of the:bowdown: Dune Series. The similarities between WOT and Dune are uncanny (there are even several websites dedicated to the topic).

Granted, all writing is plagiarism in some senses, but putting a twist on it or making it your own is a good idea.

Though each successive book feels like more of a regurgitation of the previous books material. :banghead:

I am also sick of how patronizing the books are in their assumption that the reader has read non of the previous books. Take out all of the restatement and the books would be 3/4 or 1/2 the number of pages.

That said, I am still enjoying the story moderately. Nothing else has really grabbed my attention. Maybe it's time to read the Silmarillion again. :woohoo:

Actually though, I just got Children of Hurin. I might have to pick that one up unless I can convince the wife to read the Silmarillion with me. :crazy:

*End Rant*


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## morefifemusicanyone (Aug 23, 2008)

paperairplane said:


> ever read the Dune books not written by Frank... the old talent level drops off a fair bit.


I just noticed this part of your post and had to again reiterate my .02.

:banghead: :spank: :kicknuts::bitchslap: :c u


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

Fifemusic you should try reading The Iron Tower Trilogy if you want a rewriting of LOTR. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Iron_Tower I think the warrows smoked pipes too (as if there's any doubt that small detail got overlooked in the plaguerizing process 'cause I don't think any other did).


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## drastic_quench (Sep 12, 2008)

morefifemusicanyone said:


> I grew up near Lief, though I have never read his stuff. We were friends with his kids.
> 
> How is the book? I hear they are making a movie of Peace Like a River.


It's good, you should pick it up. It was my go to pipe smoking book until I finished it.


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## Slow Triathlete (Jun 14, 2007)

I have noticed a lot of Jack London stories (especially the short stories) feature pipe smokers.

I too started the WOT series. I quit at Winter's Heart because there was way too much going on. To many side stories. I almost needed a flow chart to keep up with everything. Well, Jordan is dead now so I guess the series will never be finished.

I prefer Goodkind's Sword of Truth series.


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## Dylan Cerling (Dec 13, 2008)

All the dudes in Three Men in a Boat are pretty much constantly smoking their pipes. I think it makes the perfect pipe-read, too. Funny but still somehow thought-provoking with likable characters.


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## Thisisme (Jan 13, 2009)

Great replies! Gonna have to expand my reading list


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## squeeze left (Jun 28, 2006)

Dylan Cerling said:


> All the dudes in Three Men in a Boat are pretty much constantly smoking their pipes. I think it makes the perfect pipe-read, too. Funny but still somehow thought-provoking with likable characters.


A great book. If you liked that try "to say nothing of the dog" by Connie Willis. It takes the theme to a whole new level. I can't recall whether there's much pipe smoking though.

I think Richard Pryor talks about smoking a pipe in his autobiography??? rofl


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## Dylan Cerling (Dec 13, 2008)

squeeze left said:


> A great book. If you liked that try "to say nothing of the dog" by Connie Willis. It takes the theme to a whole new level. I can't recall whether there's much pipe smoking though.
> 
> I think Richard Pryor talks about smoking a pipe in his autobiography??? rofl


I have the Connie Willis book hangin around here somewhere. . .keep meaning to pick it up.

Yeah, if you take away the 'tobacco' part & are just looking for main characters who smoke a pipe, there's all kinds of books out there for ya. :biggrin:


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## K Baz (Mar 2, 2007)

What about Huck Finn & Tom Sawyer

I am trying to remember high school english but I think these characters were pipe smokers


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